Chapter 11: Chapter_11: Light Conversation
Ragnar locked eyes with Lady Ana, her enigmatic gaze drawing him in as she rose gracefully from her seat. "Father, allow me to attend to him. I shall return to finish my meal presently," she murmured softly.
Clad in a different yet equally resplendent ivory gown, she donned long stockings and sandals as she approached Ragnar. With each step, her formidable presence seemed to envelop him.
"Take your time. Never keep the food waiting for too long," Mr. Smith advised his daughter between bites of his dinner.
Mr. Smith settled into the seat nearest to the door, surrounded by his children—Ludren and Meika. His attire exuded elegance, complemented by his pure silver hair neatly combed to the side.
Casting a distrustful and doubtful glance at Ragnar, Mr. Smith observed him as he savored a bite of pork.
Meanwhile, Lady Ana approached Ragnar with a serene smile. "Lancelot, come with me; I require your assistance," she called out, her gaze fixed on Lancelot as she came to a stop.
Lancelot exchanged hurried words with a maid, flashing a smile as he instructed, "Guinevere, my dear, await me at our designated spot." He then nodded solemnly at Lady Ana.
Locking eyes with Ragnar, Lady Ana spoke in a tranquil tone, "Follow me, Ragnar. I have a matter to discuss with you." Despite his bewilderment, Ragnar nodded in compliance.
Maintaining her serene countenance, Lady Ana gracefully glided past Ragnar towards the wooden door.
Lancelot swiftly trailed behind Lady Ana, with Ragnar following suit as the trio hastened out of the dining room. Observing their unwavering expressions, Ragnar couldn't conceal his confusion as he studied them.
With her gaze fixed ahead, Lady Ana addressed Ragnar in a pleasant tone: "Ragnar, I'm pleasantly surprised that you managed to locate the specific stores I instructed you to visit."
"I did find them eventually, but it proved challenging and caused my delay," Ragnar responded, his eyes fixed on the white cement floor.
"Quite impressive, Ragnar," Lady Ana acknowledged, her tone still warm.
After a weighty silence, Ragnar's mind raced as he carefully parsed every word spoken by Lady Ana, leaving him thoroughly perplexed.
"How did you know that what I bought was from the stores you instructed? How could you be certain that I purchased these fruits from the specific stores you mentioned, given that you provided only a single hint? There's a distinct possibility that I didn't acquire them from that old woman?" Ragnar queried Lady Ana with a serious demeanor.
Lady Ana paused for a moment, her gaze fixed on Ragnar as a gentle smile played upon her lips. "So you truly bought from the old woman? I genuinely had no knowledge of that," she chuckled softly, delicately covering her mouth with amusement.
Ragnar stood, his bewilderment evident, as Lady Ana chuckled, prompting her to issue a directive to continue before striding forward.
As they advanced, they encountered Heizen and Damian engrossed in conversation. "Big sister, what's the deal with those two trailing behind you?" Heizen queried, gesturing towards the men.
Heinzen, a young man in his mid-teens, possessed a striking appearance with his dark hair and deep, expressive eyes, reminiscent of his late mother.
With a graceful smile, Lady Ana waved at her brother before responding, "There's nothing much," her voice carrying a gentle warmth.
"But would you mind if I borrowed Damian for a while?" she inquired kindly, her gaze shifting between her brother and Damian.
"That's straightforward! But if you want to, then you can; I'll probably write at this hour," Heizen shyly replied to his sister, his voice tinged with a hint of bashfulness.
"Thank you, Heinzen. You're such an adorable little brother," Lady Ana teased affectionately as she gently pinched Heinzen's left cheek.
"Are you heading to the bedroom, big sister?" Heinzen inquired, his cheek still pinched.
"Not just yet. I haven't eaten, and neither have these men. We'll just have a brief chat in the guest rooms," Lady Ana replied, pausing to pinch her little brother's cheek.
"I'll head to my bedroom now. See you tomorrow, big sister," Heinzen said, waving as he made his way to the bedroom hallway.
Lady Ana returned the wave with a gentle smile before turning to the men. "Let's go, boys, to the guest rooms," she said in her soft tone.
Leading the way, Lady Ana swiftly guided the men as they followed. Turning right towards the staircase to the second floor, they entered a grand hall adorned with royal and luxurious designs.
The grand hall resembled a lavish lobby, with red carpets and elegant chandeliers. Majestic chairs and tables adorned the space, with a staircase to the second floor positioned behind them.
To the left, a counter with a maid stood opposite, while a wooden door ahead led to the library, ballroom, and two kitchens.
Lady Ana waved and smiled at the maid, who returned the gesture. She then led the men to the staircase, ascending to the second floor. Upon arrival, a hallway of rooms on each side greeted them.
"How long is this hallway?" Ragnar asked in amazement at the castle.
"This part of the hallway is designated for visitors and guests, with each room serving as a guest room for their overnight stay, including yours. The farthest part houses the rooms for maids and butlers. As for us royalty, our rooms are concealed, known only to trusted individuals to enhance our security," Lady Ana explained as they walked.
"Here is your room." Lady Ana swiftly turned to her right, facing a door marked with the number "4," retrieving a key from her pocket. She inserted the key into the keyhole, turning it to the right to open the door.
A quite pleasing room with a red carpet on the floor—a room with all the necessary items. A large, soft bed and a wardrobe stocked with free clothes occupied the space. A lone chair and table stood on the right, while on the left, the bed, wardrobe, and desk with pens and paper completed the setup.
"Quite pleasing, isn't it?" Lady Ana remarked as she settled into the chair.
"Can you untighten the belt for the Acherontian Crusher and place all the bags on this table?" Lady Ana requested in a gentle tone.
Both Damian and Lancelot entered the room, wearing serious expressions as they stood near the door. Meanwhile, Ragnar moved to the table, placing the bags on it and swiftly untightening the belt for the sledgehammer holder.
Lifting the massive sledgehammer, Ragnar carried out Lady Ana's request. "Place that beside the wall; make sure it won't fall," Lady Ana ordered Ragnar once again.
Ragnar's gaze met Lady Ana's as he carefully placed the holder on the nearest wall, a sense of anticipation lingering in the air. Standing up, he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a determined exhale.
"Now that's taken care of, let's dive into our conversation, Ragnar," Lady Ana said with a confident smile, her eyes sparkling with purpose as she addressed everyone in the room.
"Ragnar, your honesty is crucial. I will judge the truth; there's no hiding from that," Lady Ana declared, swiftly changing her position to sit with both legs in front of her and her hands resting on top of her legs.
Ragnar swiftly sat on his bed, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions as Lady Ana smiled at him before speaking with unwavering confidence. "Ragnar, tell me, who is this Cliffe?"
As a wave of sadness washed over him, Ragnar fought the urge to withhold the truth, but with a voice heavy with guilt, he began, "He is one of my companions. We were tasked with finding a treasure in the North and West, a treasure worth millions of gold. We were able to retrieve bags of gold, but that night, before our return..." His voice trailed off, leaving an air of suspense hanging in the room.
Lady Ana and her guards listened intently, their eyes fixed on Ragnar with curiosity. Just as Ragnar was about to speak, Lady Ana interrupted him. "Who tasked you to do that?" she inquired, her gaze locked on Ragnar.
"It was a rich noble person in the south, although I didn't know his name because only Cliffe and Fae spoke with the old man," Ragnar swiftly replied, speaking truthfully.
"Oh, nobles, how much money do people even need these days? Pride drives them to task others to obtain treasures for them. How pitiful," Lady Ana lamented to those present.
"You may continue, Ragnar," Lady Ana said, her tone changing to gentle.
Ragnar nodded to Lady Ana, her legs trembling as he prepared to speak. Despite this, he continued, "Ghouls and entities roamed and surrounded us as we journeyed south. We raised our Light Essence lanterns, the eerie sounds of approaching entities echoing around us.
"But the wind blew harder that night, catching us off guard. We fought for our survival, making it through the first part. Then, unexpectedly, our companion, Fae fell without warning, a victim of an unseen assailant.
"And at that moment, Cliffe, the leader of our group, gave up. He was a brave man and wouldn't easily concede, but he did. As the entities drew nearer, we rested and accepted our fate. While some of us ventured into the dark forest, one of our members stayed behind in the town we had recently left, and he survived."
Ragnar finished speaking, his guilt and misery palpable in the air. Lady Ana and the guards hung on to every word, etching his words into their memories.
"What a captivating tale, Ragnar. You've not only addressed the question, but you've also unraveled many of my inquiries," Lady Ana remarked, her unwavering gaze still fixed on Ragnar.
"And now, for my final prepared question: How are your wounds, Ragnar?" Lady Ana inquired, her eyes exuding the same menacing intensity as before, hinting at the underlying tension in the room.
Lady Ana's words left Damian and Ragnar visibly perplexed, their gazes fixed on her with a mix of confusion and curiosity. Despite his confusion, Ragnar responded, "The ghouls' bites cut deep, the pain almost consuming me. But, it gradually reduced after using the ironclad." The tension in the room heightened as they awaited Lady Ana's response.
Lady Ana smiled gracefully at Ragnar, her unwavering confidence palpable as she closed in on him. With a delicate lift of her head using her right hand, she spoke, "That's great, Ragnar. But, from the beginning, those are not wounds from ghouls or any entities. In fact, Ragnar, those are wounds from blades, wounds from the foolish empire. Tell me, Ragnar, did you really get bitten by ghouls?"
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